ATLANTA -- Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores Inc. and the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) are among the new and existing franchisees that have signed development agreements with quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain Arby's Restaurant Group Inc.
Oklahoma City-based Love's has been a franchisee with the Arby's system since 1999. It currently owns and operates 48 Arby's restaurants in its travel center convenience stores throughout Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.
The Exchange opened its first Arby's location in 2010 at Fort Bliss in Texas. Since then, AAFES has developed 10 additional Arby's, including a second at Fort Bliss in 2013, as well as locations at Fort Benning, Fort Carson, Fort Meade, Nellis Air Force Base, Edwards Air Force Base, Hill Air Force Base, Fort Eustis, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland and Fort Stewart.
"These are exciting times for the Arby's Brand," said George Condos, president and COO of Arby's. "Our sales momentum and increased pipeline of innovative products have positioned Arby's for continued growth. Our franchisees are equally passionate about expanding the Brand's presence and recognize the big opportunities that lie ahead."
ARG recently sold 14 company-operated restaurants in Tampa, Fla., to Mosaic Investments Inc., a fully integrated investment firm based in Atlanta. In addition to remodeling existing locations slated to commence at the end of 2014, Mosaic has committed to build 13 new Arby's restaurants in the Tampa area over the next nine years.
In addition, Arby's largest franchisee, United States Beef Corporation, has signed a development agreement to open 38 new Arby's restaurants in the Colorado market over the next seven years. U.S. Beef Corporation, a franchisee with the Arby's system since 1969--just five years after the brand was founded--recently purchased 48 Arby's in Colorado, Idaho and Wyoming, bringing their total to 323 restaurants.
In total, Arby's has 211 development commitments for new restaurants globally as of first-quarter 2014.
Atlanta-based Arby's is a leading international QSR company operating and franchising nearly 3,400 restaurants worldwide. Arby's was the first nationally franchised, coast-to-coast sandwich chain and has been serving fresh, craveable meals since it opened in 1964. It offers the Classic Roast Beef, French Dip sandwiches and the deli-style Market Fresh line of sandwiches and salads.
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